Before referring to CAMHS

  1. Remember that CAMHS is specialist provision offering a service for children and young people who are experiencing persistent, complex or severe mental health difficulties.
  2. Ensure that appropriate Universal/Additional services have been made available to the child/young person and their family/carers by consulting with the Team around the child.
  3. Ensure you have consent to make the referral.
  4. Determine whether or not the referral is appropriate for CAMHS by answering Yes or No to the following three questions:

Question 1: Have the mental health difficulties been present for longer than 6 months or has there been a sudden, unexplained change in behaviour?

Question 2: Are there complex risk factors present?
e.g. looked after, parental mental health issues, history of abuse, previous mental health difficulties

Question 3: Are the mental health difficulties having a significant impact on multiple areas of day to day functioning?
e.g. non-attendance at school, social withdrawal, significant sleep difficulties, eating issues, marked behavioural difficulties

If you answered "yes" to two or more questions:

CAMHS may be the most appropriate service to address the needs of the child or young person you are concerned about.

Please download the CAMHS referral form.

If you answered "no" to two or more questions:

Another service may be more appropriate to address the needs of the child or young person you are concerned about.

What is the referral criteria based on?

Referral criteria thresholds were defined nationally in 2009 - for more information visit Public Health Scotland